WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:13.600 Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to see is true. 00:13.600 --> 00:32.120 The names have been changed to protect the innocent. 00:32.120 --> 00:36.840 This is the city. 00:36.840 --> 00:39.160 Los Angeles, California. 00:39.160 --> 00:40.160 I work here. 00:40.160 --> 00:41.160 I'm a cop. 00:41.160 --> 00:47.600 It was Wednesday, September 2nd. 00:47.600 --> 00:48.600 It was cloudy in Los Angeles. 00:48.600 --> 00:51.120 We were working the day watch on a homicide division. 00:51.120 --> 00:52.120 My partner's Frank Smith. 00:52.120 --> 00:54.040 The boss is Captain Warman. 00:54.040 --> 00:55.040 My name's Friday. 00:55.040 --> 00:58.760 A man had jumped from a downtown ten-story building. 00:58.760 --> 01:01.680 We checked what evidence we had, but we were still unable to get an identification. 01:01.680 --> 01:08.920 Before we could proceed with the investigation, we had to know who he was and why he jumped. 01:08.920 --> 01:12.520 I'm Frank Smith. 01:12.520 --> 01:15.880 I'm a cop. 01:15.880 --> 01:19.520 I'm a cop. 01:19.520 --> 01:23.280 I'm a cop. 01:23.280 --> 01:26.040 I'm a cop. 01:26.040 --> 01:29.160 I'm a cop. 01:29.160 --> 01:33.360 I'm a cop. 01:33.360 --> 01:42.500 I'm currentatny. 01:42.500 --> 01:45.580 What do you want? 01:45.580 --> 01:49.260 No, what are you talking about? 01:49.260 --> 01:51.260 Sure glad it doesn't happen often. 01:51.260 --> 01:53.260 Well, you should have had all boys got you. 01:53.260 --> 01:55.260 You're gonna give your daughter away, I suppose. 01:55.260 --> 01:58.260 Yeah, say that reminds me, I've got to be sure and send my suit to the cleaners. 01:58.260 --> 02:00.260 Get a good press job on it. 02:00.260 --> 02:01.260 Sure is funny. 02:01.260 --> 02:02.260 What is? 02:02.260 --> 02:05.260 Seems the wife's been afraid for years we'd never get Alice married off. 02:05.260 --> 02:07.260 Now it's finding in the works the wife's still unhappy. 02:07.260 --> 02:08.260 Oh, how's that? 02:08.260 --> 02:11.260 Oh, she goes moping around the house, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. 02:11.260 --> 02:14.260 Keeps muttering something about losing her little girl, her little girls leaving her. 02:14.260 --> 02:15.260 I don't know. 02:15.260 --> 02:16.260 How old's your daughter, Alice? 02:16.260 --> 02:19.260 Thirty-two. 02:19.260 --> 02:22.260 Well, guess I better get started on this. 02:22.260 --> 02:23.260 Hi. 02:23.260 --> 02:24.260 Mike, what's going? 02:24.260 --> 02:25.260 How'd you do on that jumper? 02:25.260 --> 02:26.260 Nothing. 02:26.260 --> 02:27.260 Don't make them the prince, huh? 02:27.260 --> 02:29.260 No, a couple of laundry marks on his clothes. We're checking them out. 02:29.260 --> 02:30.260 Yeah. 02:30.260 --> 02:31.260 Anything else doing? 02:31.260 --> 02:32.260 No. 02:32.260 --> 02:35.260 Hey, they just posted the list inside, the annual physical exams. 02:35.260 --> 02:36.260 On my honor? 02:36.260 --> 02:39.260 Sure, both of us. We're supposed to report to room 19 at the academy Monday, 10 o'clock. 02:39.260 --> 02:40.260 Who's doing the examinations? 02:40.260 --> 02:41.260 Dr. Severin. 02:41.260 --> 02:43.260 Oh. 02:43.260 --> 02:44.260 What's the matter? 02:44.260 --> 02:46.260 Well, he's the one that checked me over last year. 02:46.260 --> 02:49.260 Told me to take off some weight. I haven't lost an ounce. 02:49.260 --> 02:50.260 I thought you were on a diet. 02:50.260 --> 02:51.260 I am, Joe. 02:51.260 --> 02:53.260 Even got one of those little calorie gizmos. 02:53.260 --> 02:55.260 You know, tells you how many calories and everything? 02:55.260 --> 02:56.260 Yeah, I heard of them. 02:56.260 --> 02:57.260 Doesn't do any good. I'm still gaining. 02:57.260 --> 03:00.260 Well, it seems to me if you keep count, you should lose some weight. 03:00.260 --> 03:01.260 You know me in addition, Joe. 03:01.260 --> 03:03.260 How about some lunch, huh? 03:03.260 --> 03:04.260 Hot shot. 03:04.260 --> 03:05.260 I got it. 03:09.260 --> 03:11.260 Well, here's one to roll out. I'll meet you out there. 03:11.260 --> 03:12.260 What is it? 03:12.260 --> 03:13.260 Stage hotel, room 12. 03:13.260 --> 03:14.260 Looks like murder. 03:20.260 --> 03:24.260 1155 a.m. We located the stage hotel on West Howard Street, 03:24.260 --> 03:26.260 half a dozen blocks from the city hall. 03:26.260 --> 03:29.260 It was in the heart of the Skid Row district, the white stucco building, three stories. 03:29.260 --> 03:33.260 We identified ourselves to the manager of the hotel, Mrs. Lorraine Washburn. 03:34.260 --> 03:37.260 She led the way up a flight of stairs to the second floor. 03:40.260 --> 03:41.260 The hallway was dingy. 03:41.260 --> 03:43.260 Down at the end on the left was room 12. 03:43.260 --> 03:44.260 We went in. 03:45.260 --> 03:48.260 The room was crowded with furniture, bric-a-brac, odds and ends. 03:48.260 --> 03:51.260 The walls were covered with pictures of old-time vaudeville stars, 03:51.260 --> 03:53.260 autographed programs, and theatrical posters. 03:53.260 --> 03:56.260 In the center of the room was an open steamer trunk full of costumes 03:56.260 --> 03:58.260 and bundles of news clippings. 03:58.260 --> 04:00.260 It looked like it had been ransacked. 04:08.260 --> 04:10.260 Tied to a chair was the body of a woman. 04:10.260 --> 04:13.260 She looked to be about 30 years of age, red hair. 04:13.260 --> 04:15.260 She'd been badly beaten about the face and head. 04:21.260 --> 04:23.260 Near the body was an empty wine bottle, 04:25.260 --> 04:27.260 a pair of broken glasses, 04:29.260 --> 04:31.260 and a length of steel pipe about 10 inches long. 04:31.260 --> 04:33.260 There were blood stains on it. 04:33.260 --> 04:39.260 Frank put in a call to the office and then to the crime lab. 04:42.260 --> 04:45.260 The landlady identified the victim as Thelma Porter. 04:46.260 --> 04:49.260 We asked the landlady what time she discovered the body. 04:49.260 --> 04:51.260 About 11.40 this morning. 04:51.260 --> 04:54.260 Just where it is now, Sergeant. Nothing's been touched. 04:54.260 --> 04:56.260 I haven't mentioned it to anyone in the hotel. 04:56.260 --> 04:58.260 Poor thing. 04:58.260 --> 05:00.260 How long had the victim been staying here at the hotel, Miss Washburn? 05:00.260 --> 05:04.260 Thelma? Oh, at least two years. Maybe a little more than that. 05:04.260 --> 05:07.260 Isn't it a terrible thing? It just doesn't make sense. 05:07.260 --> 05:08.260 How do you mean, ma'am? 05:08.260 --> 05:10.260 Thelma didn't have any money. 05:10.260 --> 05:13.260 She was just like most of the people I have here, stage folks. 05:13.260 --> 05:15.260 They're all older people. 05:15.260 --> 05:18.260 Most of them don't work too often, live from hand to mouth most of the time. 05:18.260 --> 05:21.260 I see. Did Thelma Porter live in this room here alone? 05:21.260 --> 05:23.260 Yes, that's right. This is the thing, though. 05:23.260 --> 05:25.260 Thelma used to be married. 05:25.260 --> 05:27.260 Her husband died in the East about 10 years ago, I think. 05:27.260 --> 05:30.260 His name was Carl. Thelma and Carl. 05:30.260 --> 05:33.260 There used to be an old vaudeville team, the two of them. 05:33.260 --> 05:35.260 Rose and Bernard. 05:35.260 --> 05:38.260 Did the Porter woman have many friends here at the hotel, ma'am? 05:38.260 --> 05:40.260 Oh, yes. She knew everybody. 05:40.260 --> 05:42.260 All my people are friendly with each other. 05:42.260 --> 05:44.260 Most of them are permanents. 05:44.260 --> 05:46.260 I guess we'll have to tell all of them about this. 05:46.260 --> 05:47.260 Yes, ma'am. I'm afraid so. 05:47.260 --> 05:49.260 Now, Miss Washburn, when was the last time you saw Mrs. Porter? 05:49.260 --> 05:51.260 I mean, before this morning, of course. 05:51.260 --> 05:53.260 Just after midnight last night. 05:53.260 --> 05:56.260 I was sitting down in the lobby reading, just about to go to bed. 05:56.260 --> 05:58.260 Thelma came in with George Steel. 05:58.260 --> 06:00.260 He's a friend of Thelma's, lives here in the hotel. 06:00.260 --> 06:03.260 Thelma said good night and came upstairs here to her room. 06:03.260 --> 06:07.260 George and I sat a bit and talked, maybe 10, 15 minutes. 06:07.260 --> 06:10.260 Then this morning I was taking the fresh lemon around to the rooms. 06:10.260 --> 06:12.260 Knocked on Thelma's door, but she didn't answer. 06:12.260 --> 06:16.260 Finally opened up with the pass key. There it was. 06:16.260 --> 06:18.260 Now, this George Steel that Mrs. Porter came in with, 06:18.260 --> 06:20.260 had she been out on a date with him, would you know? 06:20.260 --> 06:21.260 No, not exactly. 06:21.260 --> 06:24.260 You see, Thelma spent quite a bit of time at a bar down the street, 06:24.260 --> 06:28.260 Jack Hanley's place. She was there five, six nights every week. 06:28.260 --> 06:29.260 I see. 06:29.260 --> 06:32.260 George dropped in, poured a bottle of beer, had one with Thelma, I guess. 06:32.260 --> 06:34.260 Then the two of them came back to the hotel together. 06:34.260 --> 06:36.260 Did she have any visitors last night, do you know? 06:36.260 --> 06:37.260 No, sir, I don't. 06:37.260 --> 06:40.260 Does she have any enemies that you might know of, maybe somebody she didn't get along with? 06:40.260 --> 06:42.260 No, nobody I know. 06:42.260 --> 06:44.260 And you can't think of a reason why anybody would want to kill her. 06:44.260 --> 06:46.260 I don't know. 06:46.260 --> 06:49.260 Maybe somebody thought she had money. She didn't. 06:49.260 --> 06:51.260 Not even enough to bury her. 06:51.260 --> 06:54.260 I don't know what's going to happen. 06:54.260 --> 06:55.260 Hi, Joe. 06:55.260 --> 06:56.260 Hi, Don. 06:56.260 --> 06:57.260 Hi. 06:57.260 --> 06:59.260 This is Mrs. Washburn, the manager. 06:59.260 --> 07:00.260 How do you do, Mrs. Washburn? 07:00.260 --> 07:01.260 How do you do? 07:01.260 --> 07:02.260 This is it. 07:08.260 --> 07:09.260 All right, we have a crew on the way over? 07:09.260 --> 07:10.260 Yeah, they'll be here in a minute. 07:10.260 --> 07:12.260 Will you be needing me anymore, Sergeant? Can I go now? 07:12.260 --> 07:15.260 We've got a few more questions we'd like to ask you, ma'am, if you don't mind. 07:15.260 --> 07:18.260 It's quite a shock, you know. Terrible thing to have happen. 07:18.260 --> 07:19.260 Yes, ma'am. 07:19.260 --> 07:22.260 Such a terrible thing. All mixed up. 07:22.260 --> 07:23.260 I'm going to have to explain. 07:23.260 --> 07:24.260 What's that, ma'am? 07:24.260 --> 07:25.260 Tell me. 07:25.260 --> 07:27.260 She was three weeks behind on her rent. 07:27.260 --> 07:28.260 I carried her on the books. 07:28.260 --> 07:30.260 You all know the hotel's going to want the rent money. 07:30.260 --> 07:32.260 It's going to have to come from someplace. 07:32.260 --> 07:35.260 Well, how did Mrs. Porter live? Didn't she have any income at all? 07:35.260 --> 07:37.260 She worked occasionally. Odd jobs. 07:37.260 --> 07:39.260 And she'd have the unemployment insurance. 07:39.260 --> 07:41.260 Even that ran out on her two or three weeks ago. 07:41.260 --> 07:42.260 I see. 07:42.260 --> 07:45.260 There's no reason in the world for a sergeant killing someone. 07:45.260 --> 07:48.260 She wasn't too young or very pretty. 07:48.260 --> 07:50.260 She wasn't worth anything. 07:50.260 --> 07:53.260 She didn't even have a decent coat to go out in. 07:53.260 --> 07:54.260 Yes, ma'am. 07:54.260 --> 07:58.260 That trunk over there, full of papers. 07:58.260 --> 08:00.260 That's all she had. 08:00.260 --> 08:02.260 What sense does that make? 08:02.260 --> 08:04.260 I don't know, ma'am. We haven't started checking yet. 08:04.260 --> 08:07.260 Her clothes, a couple of scrapbooks. 08:07.260 --> 08:09.260 Nobody would kill her for that. 08:09.260 --> 08:11.260 Pile of old news clippings. 08:11.260 --> 08:13.260 I don't know. It's been done for last. 08:13.260 --> 08:22.260 I continue to interview the landlady, Mrs. Washburn. 08:22.260 --> 08:26.260 She told me that the victim had quite a few male acquaintances that she'd met at neighborhood bars. 08:26.260 --> 08:28.260 She gave me the names of all those she knew of. 08:28.260 --> 08:32.260 1245 p.m. Sergeant Jay Allen and the crew from the crime lab arrive. 08:32.260 --> 08:39.260 The body and the murder room were photographed from all angles. 08:39.260 --> 08:42.260 Dean Bergman processed everything in the room for latent fingerprints. 08:42.260 --> 08:45.260 The place was gone over thoroughly for further physical evidence. 08:45.260 --> 08:48.260 The only thing that didn't seem to belong in the room was the apparent murder weapon, 08:48.260 --> 08:53.260 a ten-inch length of steel pipe found beside the body. 08:53.260 --> 08:56.260 105 p.m. After we put in a call to the coroner's office, 08:56.260 --> 08:59.260 we started checking with the residents of the hotel. 08:59.260 --> 09:01.260 No one gave us any direct leads to the killing, 09:01.260 --> 09:05.260 but more than a half a dozen of them told us that Mrs. Porter had been in the habit of making vague remarks 09:05.260 --> 09:08.260 about what she kept in that steamer trunk in her room. 09:08.260 --> 09:10.260 She made a point of never opening the trunk for anyone, 09:10.260 --> 09:16.260 and she hinted constantly, even in public, that she kept something of value inside. 09:16.260 --> 09:20.260 445 p.m. We started checking out the list of the murdered woman's friends, 09:20.260 --> 09:22.260 which Mrs. Washburn and the tenants had given us. 09:22.260 --> 09:28.260 It went slow. We got little or nothing from the first dozen names on the list. 09:28.260 --> 09:30.260 950 p.m. We went back to the office. 09:30.260 --> 09:32.260 Well, we've had better days, that's for sure. 09:32.260 --> 09:34.260 The lousy started. Couldn't be going much slower. 09:34.260 --> 09:37.260 We must have logged 40 miles of legwork. Nothing to show for it. 09:37.260 --> 09:40.260 Hi, guys. Hi, how'd you do? 09:40.260 --> 09:42.260 Not much. How about you and McCready? 09:42.260 --> 09:44.260 We checked out ten names on the list of the woman's friends. 09:44.260 --> 09:46.260 The only thing they could tell us we already knew, 09:46.260 --> 09:50.260 that business about the steamer trunk, Mrs. Porter hinting around, she had something valuable in it. 09:50.260 --> 09:51.260 Where does that leave us? 09:51.260 --> 09:54.260 We got a fair motive to go on. The crime lab called just before you came in. 09:54.260 --> 09:55.260 They get anything? 09:55.260 --> 09:58.260 No latent prints. They went over that steamer trunk, though, 09:58.260 --> 10:00.260 found a hundred shares of some kind of mining stock, 10:00.260 --> 10:01.260 sold in the liner in the trunk. 10:01.260 --> 10:02.260 Worth anything? 10:02.260 --> 10:03.260 Not the paper it's printed on. 10:03.260 --> 10:06.260 Never was worth anything, according to the broker who checked it. 10:06.260 --> 10:08.260 I got the blow-ups. Want to take a look at them? 10:08.260 --> 10:10.260 Yeah, thanks. 10:13.260 --> 10:17.260 A wine bottle. It's a wine drinker. 10:17.260 --> 10:21.260 Well, it looks like he stepped on their glasses and broke them. 10:22.260 --> 10:24.260 Sure brutal, isn't it? 10:31.260 --> 10:33.260 Sure probably the trunk, didn't he? 10:33.260 --> 10:35.260 It sets up the motor pretty well. 10:35.260 --> 10:38.260 Mrs. Porter wouldn't spend plenty of time at bars. She had a lot of men friends. 10:38.260 --> 10:42.260 We know she did a lot of talking about the nest egg she was supposed to have locked up in that trunk. 10:42.260 --> 10:44.260 So one of her boyfriends believed her, went up to have a look through the trunk, 10:44.260 --> 10:46.260 didn't know she was in the room, had to kill her. 10:46.260 --> 10:47.260 It's a good possibility. 10:47.260 --> 10:49.260 Oh, we got the word from the coroner's office, by the way. 10:49.260 --> 10:50.260 Yeah, what did they have to say? 10:50.260 --> 10:52.260 Cause of death was multiple skull fractures. 10:52.260 --> 10:55.260 They're sure they're linked to pipe as a murder weapon. 10:55.260 --> 10:57.260 Mrs. Porter died about 4 a.m., they figure. 10:57.260 --> 10:59.260 Killer sure gave her a vicious beating. 10:59.260 --> 11:00.260 Looks like more legwork, huh? 11:00.260 --> 11:02.260 I wish it was an easier way. 11:02.260 --> 11:05.260 She's been to the bar, she drank at everybody she talked to. We'll have to check them all. 11:05.260 --> 11:07.260 You know, there's just one thing that's got me stumped, Joe. 11:07.260 --> 11:08.260 Yeah, what's that? 11:08.260 --> 11:11.260 Thelma Porter. Don't you think she had an idea that Miley's stock was worthless? 11:11.260 --> 11:12.260 Well, I guess she did. 11:12.260 --> 11:16.260 Why'd she hang on to it? Why did she even keep the stock around? 11:16.260 --> 11:17.260 I don't know, Gotch. 11:17.260 --> 11:20.260 One of the things she had left were the scrapbooks, a couple of theater posters. 11:20.260 --> 11:21.260 Yeah. 11:21.260 --> 11:23.260 She knew they'd never pay off. 11:23.260 --> 11:25.260 1015 p.m. 11:25.260 --> 11:28.260 Along with Gotch and McCready, we went back to the West Howard Street neighborhood 11:28.260 --> 11:31.260 and started checking down the list of people known to the dead woman. 11:31.260 --> 11:37.260 One of them was a Miss Babs Sheldon, a singer in a small cabaret on the corner of West Howard and Pacheco. 11:37.260 --> 11:40.260 We went back to a small dressing room where we questioned the Sheldon girl. 11:40.260 --> 11:43.260 She said she'd known the victim for about five years. 11:43.260 --> 11:45.260 I kept telling them to get out of that hotel. 11:45.260 --> 11:47.260 I told them to get out of that hotel. 11:47.260 --> 11:49.260 I told them to get out of that hotel. 11:49.260 --> 11:53.260 I kept telling them to get out of that hotel. 11:53.260 --> 11:55.260 Living with those has-beens wasn't any good for her. 11:55.260 --> 11:58.260 Do you know of any steady boyfriends she might have had recently, Miss Sheldon? 11:58.260 --> 12:00.260 No. Not Thelma. 12:00.260 --> 12:03.260 She couldn't get interested in any man after Carl died. 12:03.260 --> 12:05.260 Her husband. That's what she told me anyway. 12:05.260 --> 12:08.260 There used to be a great vaudeville team, you know, she and her husband. 12:08.260 --> 12:09.260 Yes, ma'am, we know. 12:09.260 --> 12:12.260 Rose and Bernard. That's the way they were billed. 12:12.260 --> 12:14.260 You ever hear of them? Fine acrobatic routine. 12:14.260 --> 12:15.260 No, afraid not. 12:15.260 --> 12:19.260 Didn't Miss Porter ever mention anything to you about a steamer trunk that she kept in the room? 12:19.260 --> 12:20.260 Anything about what she kept in that trunk? 12:20.260 --> 12:22.260 No. Not to me she didn't. 12:22.260 --> 12:25.260 It was kind of a standing gag with people who knew Thelma. 12:25.260 --> 12:26.260 She was kind of funny about it. 12:26.260 --> 12:27.260 In what way? 12:27.260 --> 12:30.260 Well, Thelma was a great talker, you know. 12:30.260 --> 12:32.260 Oh, this princess Thelma. 12:32.260 --> 12:35.260 Thelma told everybody about her business. 12:35.260 --> 12:36.260 Talked the Blue Street. 12:36.260 --> 12:37.260 Uh-huh. 12:37.260 --> 12:39.260 She'd talk about her life, her personal affairs. 12:39.260 --> 12:41.260 Especially when she had a few drinks. 12:41.260 --> 12:45.260 But I don't think I ever heard her mention to anybody what she had in that trunk. 12:45.260 --> 12:48.260 She'd hint around about it, call her a gold mine. 12:48.260 --> 12:50.260 But she never once let anyone see what was in that trunk. 12:50.260 --> 12:52.260 Not once. 12:52.260 --> 12:54.260 I'll leave you one of our cards, Miss Sheldon. 12:54.260 --> 12:58.260 If you happen to hear anything else that might help us, we'd appreciate it if you'd give us a call. 12:58.260 --> 12:59.260 Such a terrible mess. 12:59.260 --> 13:01.260 I don't know why it had to happen now. 13:01.260 --> 13:03.260 Lord knows what I'll look like at the funeral. 13:03.260 --> 13:04.260 Ma'am. 13:04.260 --> 13:06.260 I haven't got a decent bag dressed to my name. 13:06.260 --> 13:17.260 One a.m. we checked back into the office to a prearranged meeting set up with Gotch and McCready. 13:17.260 --> 13:18.260 Hi. 13:18.260 --> 13:19.260 Gotch. 13:19.260 --> 13:21.260 Anything? 13:21.260 --> 13:22.260 Pretty small. 13:22.260 --> 13:23.260 How about you? 13:23.260 --> 13:24.260 Might have something, can't tell. 13:24.260 --> 13:25.260 Where's McCready? 13:25.260 --> 13:27.260 Down in the car pool. 13:27.260 --> 13:29.260 There's a bar down on Main Street, left hand side. 13:29.260 --> 13:30.260 Well? 13:30.260 --> 13:33.260 I thought a woman used to go there quite a bit, according to the bartender. 13:33.260 --> 13:34.260 Most of the regular customers know her. 13:34.260 --> 13:35.260 Uh-huh. 13:35.260 --> 13:39.260 The bartender told us he overheard a conversation in one of the booths four or five nights ago. 13:39.260 --> 13:40.260 Three winos. 13:40.260 --> 13:41.260 We got their names. 13:41.260 --> 13:42.260 What about them? 13:42.260 --> 13:44.260 The bartender says they were talking about Thelma Porter. 13:44.260 --> 13:45.260 Yeah. 13:45.260 --> 13:48.260 He says he heard one of the men say she keeps the trunk in her room. 13:48.260 --> 13:49.260 We can break it open. 13:49.260 --> 14:11.260 Thursday, September 3rd, 8 a.m. we rounded up and took into custody the three men who've been overheard while apparently planning a burglary of the murder victim's hotel room. 14:11.260 --> 14:18.260 Together with Sergeant Jack Gotch and Sergeant Jack McCready, Frank and I had little trouble locating the three men and bringing them in for questioning. 14:18.260 --> 14:22.260 They were fairly well known along Skid Row and they immediately took the attitude that they had nothing to hide. 14:22.260 --> 14:26.260 We went along with them. 14:26.260 --> 14:28.260 We questioned them individually and together. 14:28.260 --> 14:30.260 Meantime, their rooms were being searched. 14:30.260 --> 14:31.260 No leads. 14:31.260 --> 14:34.260 Two of the men were brothers, John Parkson and Arnold Parkson. 14:34.260 --> 14:36.260 The third man was Harold Young. 14:36.260 --> 14:40.260 All three listed their occupations as part-time laborers, unemployed. 14:40.260 --> 14:41.260 All three had records. 14:41.260 --> 14:44.260 Vagrancy, disorderly conduct, petty theft. 14:44.260 --> 14:49.260 We questioned Harold Young first. 14:49.260 --> 14:50.260 Then Arnold Parkson. 14:50.260 --> 14:52.260 They both had alibis. 14:52.260 --> 14:53.260 Their stories made sense. 14:53.260 --> 14:55.260 No conflicting statements. 14:55.260 --> 14:58.260 We interrogated the other Parkson brother, John. 14:58.260 --> 14:59.260 Same result. 14:59.260 --> 15:01.260 Well, it could have been, yeah. 15:01.260 --> 15:03.260 That trunk of Thelma's was kind of a gag around town. 15:03.260 --> 15:04.260 You know. 15:04.260 --> 15:05.260 We act about it a lot. 15:05.260 --> 15:06.260 Everybody kidded about it. 15:06.260 --> 15:08.260 We even used to rip Thelma. 15:08.260 --> 15:09.260 Tell her we're going to break in it some night. 15:09.260 --> 15:11.260 Find all the loot she had put away. 15:11.260 --> 15:12.260 Just a gag. 15:12.260 --> 15:13.260 I'm going to tell you something. 15:13.260 --> 15:14.260 We told this to the other two. 15:14.260 --> 15:16.260 We got an idea it was more than a gag in the case of you three. 15:16.260 --> 15:18.260 We've got evidence to back that up. 15:18.260 --> 15:20.260 If you want to add any more to your story, now's the time to do it, fella. 15:20.260 --> 15:22.260 I don't think I'm getting the pitch right, Sergeant. 15:22.260 --> 15:24.260 I told you everything. 15:24.260 --> 15:26.260 I don't know what kind of evidence you've got, but I'm clean. 15:26.260 --> 15:27.260 I know that much. 15:27.260 --> 15:30.260 Maybe I booze it up some, but I don't run with heavies. 15:30.260 --> 15:31.260 Murder's way out of my line. 15:31.260 --> 15:32.260 That's your story, huh? 15:32.260 --> 15:33.260 What else can I tell you? 15:33.260 --> 15:39.260 Go. 15:39.260 --> 15:41.260 Yeah, any luck? 15:41.260 --> 15:42.260 Same as the other two. 15:42.260 --> 15:43.260 I got it all down pat. 15:43.260 --> 15:45.260 I'm sure that was a good idea. 15:45.260 --> 15:46.260 What do you think, Colonel? 15:46.260 --> 15:48.260 Well, let's let them wait around for a while. 15:48.260 --> 15:49.260 We might get something out of them. 15:49.260 --> 15:52.260 Just thinking, if we can get a bug in one of the offices, it might get something. 15:52.260 --> 15:53.260 I know. 15:53.260 --> 15:54.260 It's a long way around. 15:54.260 --> 15:55.260 There's nothing much else we can do. 15:55.260 --> 15:56.260 I think there's a chance. 15:56.260 --> 15:57.260 It's a small one. 15:57.260 --> 16:01.260 Let's don't count too much on it. 16:01.260 --> 16:05.260 We checked with Captain Warman's office, and we got permission to have the office bugged. 16:05.260 --> 16:10.260 We put in a call to the crime lab and asked them to install listening equipment in the captain's office as soon as possible. 16:10.260 --> 16:15.260 They told us that they'd have the sound crew go to work on it immediately. 16:15.260 --> 16:21.260 Under the pretext of further questioning, Sergeant Jack Gottsch and Frank took the suspects down the hall to the interrogation room, 16:21.260 --> 16:40.260 where they would be held until the sound men could finish rigging up the equipment. 16:40.260 --> 17:07.260 The listening equipment was installed in such a way that we would be able to hear the sound of the horn. 17:07.260 --> 17:13.260 The listening equipment was installed in such a way that we would be able to hear the conversation in any part of the captain's office. 17:13.260 --> 17:17.260 Recording equipment and two sets of earphones were set up in the locker section off the squad room 17:17.260 --> 17:22.260 so that we could monitor the conversation between the two suspects. 17:22.260 --> 17:27.260 First, we had the two Parkson brothers, John and Arnold, placed alone in the captain's office. 17:27.260 --> 17:29.260 We listened to them talk between themselves for half an hour. 17:29.260 --> 17:36.260 They didn't say so directly, but we caught inferences that each brother doubted the other's innocence of the film of Porter killing. 17:36.260 --> 17:45.260 At 1.30 that afternoon, we took Arnold Parkson from the captain's office and had Harold Young take his place. 17:45.260 --> 17:47.260 The cops will be feeding us again. 17:47.260 --> 17:49.260 I think I'll tell them off when they come in here. 17:49.260 --> 17:50.260 Keep us waiting like this. 17:50.260 --> 17:51.260 Yeah? 17:51.260 --> 17:52.260 You'll tell them off. 17:52.260 --> 17:57.260 They'll keep us waiting much longer than I will. 17:57.260 --> 18:01.260 Will you stop using that comb? 18:01.260 --> 18:03.260 You know any lawyer? 18:03.260 --> 18:05.260 I would get out of here in a hurry with a lawyer. 18:05.260 --> 18:07.260 We don't need one. 18:07.260 --> 18:10.260 Just hope you're sure about it here, eh? 18:10.260 --> 18:11.260 About what? 18:11.260 --> 18:14.260 You're not mixed up in the killing. 18:14.260 --> 18:16.260 What do you mean, am I sure of it? 18:16.260 --> 18:17.260 I told you. 18:17.260 --> 18:18.260 Just be sure of it. 18:18.260 --> 18:21.260 I don't want any part of it. 18:21.260 --> 18:22.260 Yeah, well, you be sure too. 18:22.260 --> 18:26.260 You and your brother, you always look at me when something happens. 18:26.260 --> 18:31.260 Doggo said me and my brother, we've never been in any heavy stuff, killings, no part of it. 18:31.260 --> 18:32.260 Listen, I'm going to tell you something. 18:32.260 --> 18:34.260 We shouldn't be talking about killings in here. 18:34.260 --> 18:37.260 We should talk about the fact that we're not in any heavy stuff. 18:37.260 --> 18:39.260 You know, sometimes the cops wire these rooms. 18:39.260 --> 18:40.260 Oh, you're out of your mind. 18:40.260 --> 18:41.260 You've been reading too much fiction. 18:41.260 --> 18:42.260 Yes, they do. 18:42.260 --> 18:43.260 They can hear everything you say. 18:43.260 --> 18:44.260 They don't have time to wire anything. 18:44.260 --> 18:45.260 I've been here all day. 18:45.260 --> 18:46.260 I'm going to look around. 18:46.260 --> 18:47.260 I'm taking no chances. 18:47.260 --> 18:48.260 I don't want to get involved in anything. 18:48.260 --> 18:57.260 Sometimes they hide the mic in files or any place you can't see it. 18:57.260 --> 19:00.260 You're crazy. 19:00.260 --> 19:05.260 I'm not taking any chances. 19:05.260 --> 19:06.260 I'm not checking everywhere. 19:06.260 --> 19:07.260 Sometimes they put them on the chairs. 19:07.260 --> 19:08.260 What do they do, broadcast it? 19:08.260 --> 19:09.260 Where's the wire? 19:09.260 --> 19:10.260 They hide the mic on the edge of a desk. 19:10.260 --> 19:11.260 I've heard of that too. 19:11.260 --> 19:12.260 Let me see. 19:12.260 --> 19:13.260 I better get in there. 19:13.260 --> 19:14.260 What are you doing there? 19:14.260 --> 19:15.260 I could hear you clearing the other office, going through the files. 19:15.260 --> 19:16.260 I thought I told you to stay put in that chair. 19:16.260 --> 19:17.260 Yes, sir. 19:17.260 --> 19:18.260 Why aren't you there? 19:18.260 --> 19:19.260 Sit down. 19:19.260 --> 19:20.260 You're in trouble. 19:20.260 --> 19:21.260 You got to go. 19:21.260 --> 19:22.260 You're in trouble. 19:22.260 --> 19:23.260 You got to go. 19:23.260 --> 19:24.260 You got to go. 19:24.260 --> 19:25.260 You got to go. 19:25.260 --> 19:26.260 You got to go. 19:26.260 --> 19:27.260 You got to go. 19:27.260 --> 19:28.260 You got to go. 19:28.260 --> 19:29.260 You got to go. 19:29.260 --> 19:30.260 You got to go. 19:30.260 --> 19:31.260 You got to go. 19:31.260 --> 19:32.260 You got to go. 19:32.260 --> 19:33.260 You got to go. 19:33.260 --> 19:34.260 Get back in there, all right? 19:34.260 --> 19:35.260 The ones in the control room are something else. 19:35.260 --> 19:36.260 Tell them to sleep, you understand? 19:36.260 --> 19:37.260 Everyone is in the control room. 19:37.260 --> 19:38.260 Drunk? 19:38.260 --> 19:39.260 Yes. 19:39.260 --> 19:46.260 Pretty close, huh? 19:46.260 --> 19:47.260 Yeah. 19:47.260 --> 19:52.260 You got any more peanuts? 19:52.260 --> 19:53.260 No. 19:53.260 --> 20:10.260 You ate most of them. 20:10.260 --> 20:13.260 What do you want on the meal? 20:13.260 --> 20:14.260 Getting hungry. 20:14.260 --> 20:19.260 You know, I think I'll hit the road and get out of here. 20:19.260 --> 20:21.260 L.A. is no good this time of year. 20:21.260 --> 20:23.260 There's a place better up around Fresno. 20:23.260 --> 20:24.260 You'll have to go alone if you go. 20:24.260 --> 20:25.260 Fresno's nothing. 20:25.260 --> 20:26.260 I'm staying here. 20:26.260 --> 20:28.260 Nobody asked you to come. 20:28.260 --> 20:30.260 I don't think I like this Portland deal anyway. 20:30.260 --> 20:31.260 I like to travel alone. 20:31.260 --> 20:32.260 Just me, nobody else. 20:32.260 --> 20:33.260 What's the matter? 20:33.260 --> 20:34.260 You think you got a raw deal? 20:34.260 --> 20:35.260 We made out, ain't we? 20:35.260 --> 20:36.260 Sure, sure, we made out. 20:36.260 --> 20:37.260 I just want to go to the Valley, that's all. 20:37.260 --> 20:39.260 All this cop trouble, I don't like it. 20:39.260 --> 20:40.260 Maybe you think I do. 20:40.260 --> 20:42.260 They talked me over more than they did you. 20:42.260 --> 20:43.260 Yeah, well, I don't care. 20:43.260 --> 20:44.260 I don't like it. 20:44.260 --> 20:50.260 I'm getting out of here. 20:50.260 --> 20:51.260 What's the pitch, Harry? 20:51.260 --> 20:53.260 You got nothing to cover up for, have you? 20:53.260 --> 20:54.260 What do you mean, cover up? 20:54.260 --> 20:55.260 Of course not. 20:55.260 --> 20:57.260 I want to jump this town, that's all. 20:57.260 --> 20:58.260 Something wrong in it. 20:58.260 --> 21:00.260 You started talking about getting in the trunk the other night. 21:00.260 --> 21:01.260 The border dame's drunk. 21:01.260 --> 21:02.260 You're crazy. 21:02.260 --> 21:03.260 Your brother Arnie did. 21:03.260 --> 21:04.260 Oh, I bet you are, remember? 21:04.260 --> 21:05.260 You sure about that killing, Harry? 21:05.260 --> 21:06.260 You weren't in it? 21:06.260 --> 21:07.260 Listen, don't go talking to me like that. 21:07.260 --> 21:08.260 I never start any talk about getting in the trunk. 21:08.260 --> 21:09.260 What are you getting mad about, huh? 21:09.260 --> 21:10.260 I didn't say anything. 21:10.260 --> 21:11.260 All right. 21:11.260 --> 21:12.260 Trying to get smart, that's all. 21:12.260 --> 21:13.260 Asking me about the killing, I'm not going to do it. 21:13.260 --> 21:14.260 I'm not going to do it. 21:14.260 --> 21:21.260 I didn't say anything. 21:21.260 --> 21:24.260 All right. 21:24.260 --> 21:33.260 I'm trying to get smart, that's all. 21:33.260 --> 21:34.260 Asking me about the killing, I was in bed. 21:34.260 --> 21:35.260 Don't try getting smart with me. 21:35.260 --> 21:36.260 All right, Mr. Schurpp. 21:36.260 --> 21:37.260 What are you getting mad for? 21:37.260 --> 21:38.260 I was sleeping in the bed, and you know it. 21:38.260 --> 21:39.260 I'm trying to get smart. 21:39.260 --> 21:40.260 How am I so sure it wasn't you? 21:40.260 --> 21:41.260 It could have been. 21:41.260 --> 21:42.260 Sure, it could have been all of us, unless we get it. 21:42.260 --> 21:43.260 All right, all right, all right. 21:43.260 --> 21:44.260 You got a smoke? 21:44.260 --> 21:45.260 No. 21:45.260 --> 21:46.260 I haven't had any since this morning. 21:46.260 --> 21:47.260 Lousy cops. 21:47.260 --> 21:48.260 I'm going to read it long. 21:48.260 --> 21:49.260 Sure. 21:49.260 --> 21:50.260 I think they have something on this. 21:50.260 --> 21:51.260 Keeping us cooped up in here. 21:51.260 --> 21:52.260 Some dame gets knocked off. 21:52.260 --> 21:53.260 Why do they have to check on us? 21:53.260 --> 21:54.260 Tell him. 21:54.260 --> 21:55.260 Tell him what? 21:55.260 --> 21:56.260 We need his lawyer. 21:56.260 --> 21:57.260 All this trouble over that dame. 21:57.260 --> 21:58.260 Yeah. 21:58.260 --> 21:59.260 Tell him. 21:59.260 --> 22:00.260 Tell him what? 22:00.260 --> 22:01.260 We need his lawyer. 22:01.260 --> 22:02.260 Yeah. 22:02.260 --> 22:03.260 Tell him. 22:03.260 --> 22:04.260 Tell him what? 22:04.260 --> 22:05.260 We need his lawyer. 22:05.260 --> 22:06.260 Yeah. 22:06.260 --> 22:07.260 Tell him. 22:07.260 --> 22:08.260 Tell him. 22:08.260 --> 22:09.260 Tell him. 22:09.260 --> 22:10.260 Tell him. 22:10.260 --> 22:11.260 Tell him. 22:11.260 --> 22:12.260 Tell him. 22:12.260 --> 22:13.260 Tell him what? 22:13.260 --> 22:14.260 We need his lawyer. 22:14.260 --> 22:15.260 We got the client's lawyer? 22:15.260 --> 22:16.760 We got the client's lawyer? 22:16.760 --> 22:17.760 Tell him. 22:17.760 --> 22:18.760 Tell him what? 22:18.760 --> 22:19.760 We need his lawyer. 22:19.760 --> 22:20.760 All this trouble over that dame? 22:20.760 --> 22:21.760 Yeah. 22:21.760 --> 22:22.760 A truck of hers. 22:22.760 --> 22:23.760 Boss you could talk about what she had in the truck. 22:23.760 --> 22:24.760 Nothing in it anyway. 22:24.760 --> 22:25.760 Old papers, huh? 22:25.760 --> 22:26.760 Old papers? 22:26.760 --> 22:27.760 How do you know what was in it? 22:27.760 --> 22:28.760 You're crazy. 22:28.760 --> 22:29.760 I didn't say anything. 22:29.760 --> 22:30.760 You said old papers. 22:30.760 --> 22:31.760 You said there wasn't anything in the truck. 22:31.760 --> 22:32.760 You're up in a room. 22:32.760 --> 22:33.760 You saw her. 22:33.760 --> 22:34.760 You're crazy. 22:34.760 --> 22:35.760 You saw her, you killed her. 22:35.760 --> 22:36.760 Shut up. 22:36.760 --> 22:37.760 Oh, no. 22:37.760 --> 22:38.760 All right, that's enough. 22:38.760 --> 22:39.760 Come on. 22:39.760 --> 22:40.760 That's enough. 22:40.760 --> 22:41.760 Jim, you're near by the trunk. 22:41.760 --> 22:42.760 He's lying! 22:42.760 --> 22:44.760 You knew about the trunk, Sergeant. 22:44.760 --> 22:45.760 He was sitting there. 22:45.760 --> 22:47.760 He said old papers, old papers in the trunk. 22:47.760 --> 22:48.760 He must have killed her. 22:48.760 --> 22:49.760 He's lying. 22:49.760 --> 22:50.760 Trying to cover up. 22:50.760 --> 22:51.760 That's what he's trying to do. 22:51.760 --> 22:52.760 He's lying. 22:52.760 --> 22:53.760 Lock this up. 22:53.760 --> 22:54.760 Take the phone in the room. 22:54.760 --> 22:55.760 We heard you. 22:55.760 --> 22:56.760 No, you didn't. 22:56.760 --> 22:57.760 It's recorded. 22:57.760 --> 22:58.760 We'll play it back for you. 22:58.760 --> 22:59.760 Yeah? 22:59.760 --> 23:00.760 That's right. 23:00.760 --> 23:01.760 I didn't mean it. 23:01.760 --> 23:02.760 I didn't mean any of it. 23:02.760 --> 23:03.760 She wasn't supposed to be in her room. 23:03.760 --> 23:04.760 It wouldn't have happened if she wasn't there. 23:04.760 --> 23:05.760 All right. 23:05.760 --> 23:06.760 Why'd you do it? 23:06.760 --> 23:07.760 I don't know. 23:07.760 --> 23:08.760 I didn't mean it. 23:08.760 --> 23:09.760 I didn't mean any of it. 23:09.760 --> 23:11.760 I don't know. 23:11.760 --> 23:15.760 I just wanted to see what was in that trunk. 23:15.760 --> 23:20.760 She was going to scream, so I hit her with a pipe. 23:20.760 --> 23:24.760 She was suffering, so I killed her. 23:24.760 --> 23:27.760 I didn't want her to suffer. 23:27.760 --> 23:29.760 Just one thing on top of another. 23:29.760 --> 23:33.760 When I went there, I didn't even think about killing her. 23:33.760 --> 23:36.760 I just wanted to see what was in the trunk. 23:36.760 --> 23:38.760 I just wanted to look. 23:38.760 --> 23:40.760 What did you find out? 23:40.760 --> 23:41.760 I guess you know. 23:41.760 --> 23:43.760 Papers. 23:43.760 --> 24:09.760 All pieces of newspapers, that's all. 24:09.760 --> 24:20.760 On December 7th, trial was held in Department 92, Superior Court of the State of California, 24:20.760 --> 24:22.760 in and for the County of Los Angeles. 24:22.760 --> 24:30.760 In a moment, the results of that trial. 24:30.760 --> 24:44.760 The suspect was tried and convicted of murder in the first degree. 24:44.760 --> 24:49.760 Further investigation proved that Harold Young and Arnold Parkson were not implicated in the crime, 24:49.760 --> 25:02.760 and they were released from custody. 25:19.760 --> 25:25.760 The trial was held in the State of California, 25:25.760 --> 25:31.760 in and for the County of Los Angeles. 25:31.760 --> 25:38.760 In a moment, the results of that trial. 25:38.760 --> 25:47.760 The suspect was tried and convicted of murder in the first degree. 25:47.760 --> 26:05.760 The suspect was tried and convicted of murder in the first degree. 26:17.760 --> 26:42.760 The suspect was tried and convicted of murder in the first degree. 26:42.760 --> 26:48.760 The suspect was tried and convicted of murder in the first degree.